What you know about the Thorvahldian Court

Todbringer Line

• Baron Todbringer
• Annike Todbringer
• Justin Cole
• Stephen Todbringer
• Elseny Todbringer

Court

• Sir Adrian Drake - Knight Eternal
• Dieter Shmiedehammer - Champion of Justice
• Alexander FanMaris - Master of the Hunt, Festivale Coordinator
• Luigi Pavorotti - Court Doctor
• Rallane Lafarel - Court Minstrel
• Elayne Shellegraad - Lady in Waiting
• Violette Prachevsky - Lady in Waiting, Nuscovy
• Francesca Serventi-Ferrari - Lady in Waiting, Impaxtos
• Elspeth van Huygens - Lady in Waiting, Greylands
• Hildergarde Zimperliche - Chaperone to Elseny
• Bradley Morris - Court Jester

Todbringer Line

The Todbringer line has ruled over Thorvahld since the sevillan occupation ended in the 1260s. Baron Boris Todbringer, now 59, has three children.

The eldest of these is a bastard named Justin Cole, the progeny of a tryst with a blacksmith's daughter named Wenda Cole, when the Baron was seventeen. Cole remains illegitimate but is nearly universally beloved, rising on his merit as a soldier and tactician to become the head of the Knights Panther. He seems to be a genuinely noble and good intentioned human being with no aspirations to the throne.

The Baron has been married twice. His first wife, Lynnetta, was an Orrykind noblewoman. She died producing a single son, Stephen Todbringer, who was born a halfwit. Stephen is now in his early thirties but has the mental accuity of a five year old and remains, much to everyone's dismay, the only heir to the Baronial throne.

Todbringer's second wife, Annike (Nikki), was a Kislevite noblewoman and, you are fairly sure the former head of the Jade Scepter. She died six months ago under mysterious circumtances after only two years of wedded bliss. Various members of court have insinuated she was rather free with her sexuality and had numerous affairs behind the back of her doting and devoted husband.  It is rumored that these liasons resulted in her death from veneral disease.  Since his wife's death the Baron has fallen into an insensate stupor, which seems a bit too severe to be mere mourning.

The Baron's youngest child is another bastard, a daughter named Elseny from an unknown mother. Elseny is sixteen and very sheltered. In love with stories of romance and chivalry, she hopes to marry a dashing lord or knight errant, a fate that she may not be afforded as the illegitimate daughter of the Baron. The Baron has done little to dissude her on this point, doting on her endlessly and going so far as to encourage her nickname, "Princess Elseny."  She is beloved by the people of the city, but her vapid sheltered immaturity might make her nearly as bad an heir as Stephen. She has shown a sort of puppy-love devotion for Heroe, who has been encouraging her interest (begrudgingly) in order to have a sympathetic mouth at the Baron's ear.

Remainder of Court

The rest of court is a nest of typical vipers. Schemeing fops and pretenders to power mix in with decent nobility and frivolous self-interested freeloaders. Prominent members include:

Rallane Lafarel, a the R'hunfolver court minstrel and brother to Bryisis. He has shown a sexual interest in Monica who tried to castrate him at their last meeting. Rallane is dedicated to Elseny, as a companion and wanted at one point to have her deflowered (by someone else) as a sort of cruel kindness, lowering her expectations for her life and proving to her that even without chivalry and romance, the world could still be fun and worthwhile.

Elayne "Laney" Shellegraad was up until the Baron's second marriage at least, Boris Todbringer's paramour. Now thirty-six and beginning to show signs of age, Laney seems to be increasingly nervous that she will be tossed aside, having already seen the Baron's affections wane after he married the younger and more radiant Annike Pivkova. She felt snubbed after having given the Baron fourteen years of devoted adoration and sex and currently remains nervous as to her future at court. You recently learned that she was having an affair with High Priest Ulric, some three months ago, and that they called it off after a few trysts. She is good friends with Allavandriel FanMaris who introduced her to court.

Allavandriel FanMaris in his mid sixties but appearing to be at most twenty-five is the Master of the Hunt in Thorvahld as well as the Festivale Coordinator, MC and chief Social Intelligenser. Allavandriel is one of the Vaunted, a race of humanoids that claim Aelven descent. Allavandriel, from your one dinner with him, is intensely worried that the intrigue and trouble your party is stirring up may ruin Festivale. Far more than a self indulgent pleasure-seeker, however, he knows the city has swelled to nearly twice its normal population and that riots and revolt are quite possible if things continue to go wrong. He has a special affection for his former lover turned good friend Elayne Shellegraad and has asked that you look out for her best interests.

Luigi Pavorotti is the son of famed, Sevillan war-hero, Romeo Pavorotti, the admiral that finally broke the R'hundallese naval blockade of the trianguarde. Luigi is a brilliant physician who is piloting the new science of hypnosis (Pavorottism). He has recently arrived at court in order to assist in the recuperation of Stephen Todbringer, perhaps finding a cure for his madness through experimental methods. Pavorotti is a responsible doctor and a reckless libertine. His sexual appetites are legendary and they target any number of people, animals and objects that catch his attention. In spite of this, he also seems to be kind-hearted and aware of how his lifestyle may differ from others. He has expressed an especial fascination with Juliette, as he explains, because of her virginity, spunkiness and tincture.

The Knight Eternal, Sir Adrian Drake, is a stuck up old snob with disturbingly racist and sexist tendencies. He holds a purely ceremonial position as the head of Thorvahld's armed forced but his actual power includes presiding over jousts and parading around in ceremonial armor. Though he is a hoary old prig, well into his sixties, he still is in a respected office. He is beloved by some of the older and more prudish members of court, Hildergarde Zimperliche for instance. He seems to enjoy Gerund Lennaire's presence as a beacon of chivalry and knightly valor.

Dieter Shmiedehammer (Searlander) - Champion of Justice.  Thorvald still abides to trial by combat, though not many take it.  Every year there are challenges to the champion at Festivale time to see if they’re employing the best fighter in the world. Dieter Schmiedehammer had recently been brainwashed by a red-headed woman into offering blind support of the tax laws.

Hildergarde Zimperliche is the aged chaperone to Elseny. She was formerly the chaperone of the Baron in his youth, and now has dried up into complete wretched spinsterhood. She is very protective of her charge, and has been a thorn in the side of Heroe as he tries to make romantic overtures. Gerund discovered that she has an odd fascination with  animals, especially animals acting as humans or somehow being placed in anthropomorphized situations. She can often be found patronizing Lucien's Singing Frog Theatre.